Nepal will be permitted to export power to Bangladesh via India at a later time in order to fulfill the expanding energy demands of that country, writes Benedict B. George for South Asia Monitor
Post-uprising Bangladesh grapples with power, inclusion, and hope; rethink of ties with India
The aspirations of Gen-Z are on the walls, calling for a more tolerant and pluralistic society, with a sense of justice. "All political parties have heard that and understand that the newer generation are the most important voting bank at this moment. They don’t believe in the binary we have lived in for such a long time."
The changing state of Pakistani politics, for better or for worse
Today in Pakistan universities have proliferated and where in 2000 there were about 1 million post secondary students, in 2020 there were nearly 5 million and they have expectations, and they are also more political. But it is also the 30 and 40 year olds, generations of Pakistanis who are frustrated with the lifestyle of the rich and corrupt, and of a military they increasingly see in a similar light.
Pollution blows with the wind: South Asia's public health challenge needs harmonized regional action
In the larger South Asia context, air pollution does not follow national boundaries and therefore the solutions for all the airsheds cannot come from any one city or a country. The countries in South Asia – India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan - that share a common airshed are impacted by the transboundary pollution. More than half of the air pollution across major cities in South Asia is not local but transboundary in nature.
South Asia's climate crisis needs a regional response
Regional bodies like the SAARC, the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation, have the potential to foster cooperation on climate adaptation, disaster preparedness, and trans-border pollution control. However, geopolitical tensions, particularly between India and Pakistan, hinder progress.
More on Spotlight
After Beijing, its destination Moscow for Pakistan PM Imran Khan: Can Russia take Islamabad at its word?
Russia is well aware of how Pakistan has been facilitating the movement of ISIS cadres from Iraq-Syria into northern Afghanistan at the behest of the US, writes Lt Gen P.C. Katoch (retd) for South Asia Monitor
An adrift Congress in India is a serious problem for democracy
It takes no great political intelligence to point out that a tumultuous democracy like India desperately needs a credible national counter to Modi’s BJP, writes Mayank Chhaya for South Asia Monitor
Growing presence of women in India’s armed forces: An issue that should not be politicized
One major reason the Indian Army has not allowed women officers in fighting arms and would not like to do so is that it does not want them captured by the enemy, writes Col Anil Bhat (retd) for South Asia Monitor
The interplay of caste and politics in India's most populous state
The recent trends in elections have shown undeniable evidence that women no longer remain passive voters, writes Shraddha Nand Bhatnagar for South Asia Monitor
Bangladesh has stake in peace and stability in India's Northeast
Connectivity and infrastructural development with Bangladesh will also open up new routes to India's Northeast, Bhutan and Nepal, writes Benedict B. George for South Asia Monitor
India’s intangible heritage: Its composite, living culture carries a multidimensional message in trying times
Such recognition by UNESCO, whether of Durga Puja or Srinagar as a Creative City, helps to underline that India’s culture is a living culture, writes Amb Bhaswati Mukherjee (retd) for South Asia Monitor
The Nightingale has fallen silent: Lata Mangeshkar's music had universal appeal
Numbers have defied easy recording, whether Lata sang 25,000 songs or 30,000, for an estimated 1,000 films, writes Mahendra Ved for South Asia Monitor
India must not politically or economically appease China
The fact remains that as long as India, Nepal and Bhutan do not protest Chinese aggressive moves because of political compulsions China will keep having its way, writes Lt Gen P. C. Katoch (retd.) for South Asia Monitor
Sri Lanka will come out of its present crisis stronger
With heightened external geopolitical fissures in the region, balancing infrastructure diplomacy between China, India and the US is indeed a daunting challenge for Sri Lanka, writes Sugeeswara Senadhira for South Asia Monitor
Why does Pakistan lag far behind Bangladesh?
Although Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan, it has already surpassed Pakistan in almost all socio-cultural and economic indicators, writes Jebeda Chowdhury for South Asia Monitor
Appropriating Subhas Chandra Bose: He was equally critical of both Muslim and Hindu communal streams
Bose was very clear that in independent India equal opportunities should be thrown open to all, irrespective of caste, creed or religion, writes Ram Puniyani for South Asia Monitor
Can Air India become world class again? Can Tatas live up to expectations?
What is the future of civil aviation and Air India? The immediate outlook is that it will take beyond 2022-23 to return to any semblance of pre-pandemic normalcy, writes N. Chandra Mohan for South Asia Monitor
For a more harmonious and cooperative South Asia, India must lead by example
India with its huge numbers and relative political stability can play an influential role in the South Asian region, writes Nirupama Sekhri for South Asia Monitor
Debt management crucial for pandemic-hit economic recovery in India and South Asian nations
The pandemic is estimated to have caused 48-59 million people to become or remain poor in 2021 in South Asia, writes V.K. Varadarajan for South Asia Monitor
